Spring Varieties Research Articles

QTL mapping to identify loci and candidate genes associated with freezing tolerance trait in Camelina sativa

Lack of freezing tolerance is a major constraint for the production of agronomically important Brassica species, particularly in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) of the United States and Canada. However, within the Brassicaceae family, winter germplasm of camelina have shown excellent freezing tolerance and overwinter potential in the NGPs. Differences in freezing tolerance between a winter variety (Joelle) and a spring variety (C046) of camelina appear to be controlled by a small number of dominant or co-dominant genes. To unravel the genetic mechanisms for the differences in freezing tolerance, 254 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) were developed using reciprocal crosses between these two camelina varieties. The RIL population was phenotyped at the F7 stage for freezing tolerance under controlled conditions and genotyped by whole-genome skim sequencing. A one-way ANOVA test revealed a significant (P < 0.001) difference exists among the RILs for freezing tolerance. A significant and strong correlation (r = 0.60, P < 0.001) was also observed between freezing tolerance and flowering time, indicating that regulation of flowering time might also influence freezing tolerance in camelina. A de novo linkage map was constructed using 4507 SNP markers covering a total of 1208.5 cM map distance with an average of 0.3 cM distances between the markers, which formed 20 linkage groups representing the 20 chromosomes (Chr) of C. sativa. The QTL analyses using three different programs revealed significant loci on Chr 8, 11, 13, 16 and 18 with LOD threshold value of over 3.5 for freezing tolerance. The QTL peaks with the greatest LOD values of 20.7 and 26.8 were observed at Chr 8 and Chr 13 and accounted for 18.3 % and 25.3 % of the phenotypic variation respectively. A total of 3369 annotated camelina genes were identified within ±50 Kb from the consensus QTL intervals generated from the output of the three mapping programs. Among them, 125 were transcription factors including twelve MIKC_MADS on Chr 8, 11, 13, 16 and 18 and two that annotate as the floral regulators FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) on Chr 8 and 13, an orthologue of MADS AFFECTING FLOWERING 3 and 4 (MAF4 and MAF3) of arabidopsis on Chr18, and an orthologue of SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) on Chr 16. Although many of the candidate genes identified near the freezing tolerance QTLs have previously been associated with flowering time, further studies are needed to help unravel how these genes impact freezing tolerance mechanisms and improve freezing tolerance in camelina and other Brassica crop species.

Genetic study of Camelina sativa oilseed crop and selection of a new variety by the bulk method.

Camelina sativa, commonly referred to as camelina or false flax, has emerged as a promising cover crop with the potential to mitigate climate change-a pressing global challenge that demands urgent and sustainable solutions. Belonging to the Brassicaceae family and native to Europe and Central Asia, camelina is an oilseed crop known for its resilience in diverse climates, including arid and semi-arid regions, making it adaptable to various environments. A breeding program started from a study of six winter varieties and five spring varieties of camelina is described: these genetic materials were characterized by SSRs molecular markers and by GBS technique. Molecular data clearly showed all spring varieties were genetically similar and distinguishable from the winter varieties, which, in turn, clustered together. Using molecular data, parental varieties belonging to the two different clusters were selected to generate new genetic variability. The new variety obtained, selected through the bulk method based on three parameters: yield, earliness, and weight of 1000 seeds, has allowed the generation of the new genetic material provisionally named C1244. Chemical characterization was performed (bromatological and glucosinolates analysis) to better describe C1244 in comparison with benchmark varieties. The new variety exhibited early maturity, similar to spring varieties, making this genetic material promising for use in intercropping systems, a high weight of 1000 seeds (1.46 g) which improves and facilitates seeding/harvesting operations and a high oil content (33.62%) akin to winter varieties making it valuable for human and animal food purposes.

Identification of a Rye Spring Mutant Derived from a Winter Rye Variety by High-Altitude Environment Screening Using RNA Sequencing Technology.

Wintergrazer-70 and Ganyin No1 are high-yield forage varieties suitable for cultivation in high-altitude areas of Tibet (4300 m above sea level). Ganyin No1 was developed from Wintergrazer-70, with the latter serving as its parent variety. Ganyin No1 was identified as a spring variety, and subsequent RNA sequencing was conducted. RNA sequencing analysis identified 4 differentially expressed genes related to vernalization and 28 genes related to photoperiod regulation. The Sc7296g5-i1G3 gene is related to the flowering inhibition of rye, which may be related to the phenotypic difference in the Ganyin No1 variety in winter and spring. This finding provides valuable insights for future research on Ganyin No1, especially in addressing feed shortages in Tibet during winter and spring.

Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions in modelled cereal crop production under Polish agricultural conditions: An example spring barley

Based on the analysis of statistical data, the average area under cultivation and average yields of barley in Poland in 2010–2020 were calculated. Barley is one of the most important cereals grown in Poland. Its cultivation area occupied an average of 920,595 ha in these years, with average yields of 3.66 Mg∙ha−1. Barley is a cereal grown mainly as a spring cereal. The average area under spring species in these years accounted for 95% (875,771 ha) of the total area under this cereal, and the average yield of spring varieties was 3.60 Mg∙ha−1. In order to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and ammonia (NH3), the sources of emissions – inorganic fertilisers, fuel consumption – were analysed for selected barley cultivation technologies, differentiated by yield level, and variant model production technologies were developed to obtain projected yields. Emissions were calculated for individual greenhouse gases (N2O, CH4 and CO2) and they were recalculated according to the greenhouse potential of each gas (GWP – global warming potential) to be able to compare the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions for the analysed variants. Greenhouse gas emissions for cultivation technology ranged from 134.53 to 136.48 kg CO2eq for 1 Mg yield. A more accurate Tier 2 method was used to estimate NH3 emissions, taking into account soil conditions and climate zone. The estimated ammonia emissions from the application of mineral fertilisers were from 0.99 kg to 2.35 kg for 1 Mg yield.

СОРТА ДВУРУЧКИ КАК ИСХОДНЫЙ МАТЕРИАЛ ДЛЯ СЕЛЕКЦИИ ЯРОВОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ В СЕВЕРНОЙ ЛЕСОСТЕПИ ТЮМЕНСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

The objective of research is to study the facultative wheat varieties bred by the Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture for a set of economic traits and to establish the possibility of using them in the bree-ding of spring wheat in the Tyumen Region. Research was conducted in 2022–2023 on a small experimental field of the Northern Trans-Urals State Agricultural University. The object of research is five facultative wheat varieties (Anka, Afina, Leo, Karavan, Velena) bred by the Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture and the standard spring wheat variety Ikar. It was found that facultative wheat varieties, when sown early (soil temperature 8–10 °C), grow and develop well and, at the same time as the standard spring variety Ikar, reach economic grain maturity at the end of August. They form stems 80–90 cm high with shortened lower internodes, dense straw walls (weight of 1 cm of straw is 23.1–27.5 mg, for the standard – 19.7 mg) and are resistant to lodging. In terms of field germination and survival of plants for harvesting, the diurnal varieties exceeded the standard Ikar variety by 13–18 and 12–17 %, respectively. In terms of resistance to brown leaf and stem rust, powdery mildew and septoria, they were rated at 7–9 points. Productive tillering was one and a half to two times higher than that of the standard Ikar variety and amounted to 2–4 stems per plant. Due to the high grain content per ear (23–28 pcs.) and average grain size (34.3–37.1 g), the grain weight per ear was 0.82–1.14 g, which is 0.12–0.44 g higher than that of the standard Ikar variety. In terms of protein and gluten content in grain, as well as grain bulk density, vitreousness, and falling number, the facultative varieties generally met the requirements for valuable and strong wheat. According to the studied economic characteristics, facultative wheat varieties are valuable source material for breeding spring wheat in the Tyumen Region.

A transcriptomic time-series reveals differing trajectories during pre-floral development in the apex and leaf in winter and spring varieties of Brassica napus

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is an important global oil crop, with spring and winter varieties grown commercially. To understand the transcriptomic differences between these varieties, we collected transcriptomes from apex and leaf tissue from a spring variety, Westar, and a winter variety, Tapidor, before, during, and after vernalisation treatment, until the plants flowered. Large transcriptomic differences were noted in both varieties during the vernalisation treatment because of temperature and day length changes. Transcriptomic alignment revealed that the apex transcriptome reflects developmental state, whereas the leaf transcriptome is more closely aligned to the age of the plant. Similar numbers of copies of genes were expressed in both varieties during the time series, although key flowering time genes exhibited expression pattern differences. BnaFLC copies on A2 and A10 are the best candidates for the increased vernalisation requirement of Tapidor. Other BnaFLC copies show tissue-dependent reactivation of expression post-cold, with these dynamics suggesting some copies have retained or acquired a perennial nature. BnaSOC1 genes, also related to the vernalisation pathway, have expression profiles which suggest tissue subfunctionalisation. This understanding may help to breed varieties with more consistent or robust vernalisation responses, of special importance due to the milder winters resulting from climate change.

Headspace volatiles profiles of different spring varieties and a wild relative of wheat flour.

Volatile profiling was conducted on four wheat varieties Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring (CS), Highbury (High), Paragon (Para), Pavon76 (Pav76), and one wild relative Triticum timopheevii (P95). Headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to explore differences in flavor formation mechanisms in different flours before and after starch gelatinization. Solvent retention capacity (SRC) analysis revealed subtle differences in water absorption, gluten strength, and starch characteristics across wheat flour types. Rapid Visco Analysis (RVA) of whole wheat flour demonstrated significant variations in pasting properties among wheat varieties, with P95 exhibiting higher viscosities compared to CS and High potentially influenced by starch gelatinization, protein-starch interactions, and lipid content. Aroma contributions of P95 clustered positively in PCA plots, contrasting with the four main varieties, indicative of species-level differentiation. Furthermore, the study highlighted the roles of viscosity, protein structure, lipid content, and fatty acid composition in modulating the release and perception of volatile aroma compounds during heating. This study sheds light on how the distinct characteristics of wheat flour influence aroma profiles, revealing species-level differences and the pivotal role of physiochemical properties in shaping flavor development mechanisms.

In silico analysis of the Seven IN Absentia (SINA) genes in bread wheat sheds light on their structure in plants.

Seven IN Absentia (SINA) is a small family of genes coding for ubiquitin-ligases that play major roles in regulating various plant growth and developmental processes, as well as in plant response to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we studied the SINA genes family in bread wheat Triticum aestivum which is a culture of major importance for food security worldwide. One hundred and forty-one SINA family genes have been identified in bread wheat and showed that their number is very high compared to other plant species such as A. thaliana or rice. The expansion of this family seems to have been more important in monocots than in eudicots. In bread wheat, the chromosome 3 distal region is the site of a massive amplification of the SINA family, since we found that 83 of the 141 SINA genes are located on this chromosome in the Chinese Spring variety. This amplification probably occurred as a result of local duplications, followed by sequences divergence. The study was then extended to 4856 SINA proteins from 97 plant species. Phylogenetic and structural analyses identified a group of putative ancestral SINA proteins in plants containing a 58 aminoacid specific signature. Based on sequence homology and the research of that "Ancestral SINA motif" of 58 amino acids, a methodological process has been proposed and lead to the identification of functional SINA genes in a large family such as the Triticae that might be used for other species. Finally, tis paper gives a comprehensive overview of wheat gene family organization and functionalization taken the SINA genes as an example.

Varieties of spring and winter durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) by alleles of the Ppd-A1 gene

Purpose. Identification and evaluation of the frequencies of dominant and recessive alleles of the Ppd-A1 gene in winter and spring durum wheat varieties of different geographical origins. Methods. DNA isolation, allele-specific PCR, electrophoresis in agarose and polyacrylamide gels and statistical analysis were used in the research. Results. Using diagnostic molecular markers, the genotypes of 81 spring and winter durum wheat varieties from different geographical origins were identified by alleles of the Ppd-A1 gene, which determines differences in photoperiodic sensitivity. Four alleles were found in spring varieties and three in winter varieties (the dominant allele Ppd-A1a.2 was absent). The recessive allele Ppd-A1_del303 was not found in any of the examined varieties. Conclusions. No significant differences were found between winter and spring genotypes in the frequency of one or the other allele. In winter and spring varieties, the recessive allele Ppd-A1_del2ex7 is the most frequent (68.5 and 47.9%, respectively). The recessive allele Ppd-A1b is significantly lower in winter varieties and almost identical in spring varieties. The frequencies of the dominant alleles Ppd-A1a.2 and Ppd-A1a.3 are lower than the two above and generally very low. The Ppd-A1a.2 allele was detected only in the Georgian variety ‘Merliuri’ (spring type); Ppd-A1a.3 – in the Ukrainian varieties ‘Luhanska 7’, ‘Metyska’ (spring) and ‘Koralovyi’ (winter). The possibility of using varieties carrying the dominant alleles Ppd-A1a.2 and Ppd-A1a.3 as donors in hard winter wheat bree­ding programmes is currently being discussed, in order to increase their adaptive potential in conditions of drought and high temperatures and to increase grain yield. The use of marker analysis will ensure the selection of breeding material with the optimal combination of alleles of the Ppd-A1a gene.

Mulching with oilseed rape improving soil moisture and fertility and apple yield in orchard in semi‐arid region

AbstractThis study was aimed to alleviate water deficiency and improve soil fertility in orchards in a semi‐arid region. The Brassica napus L. winter varieties (including the varieties V6 and V7) (V6 and V7 belong to the Brassica napus L. winter variety 1721‐1B, and Qin‐you‐7) generally had higher aboveground biological yield, lower root yield, and main root length compared to the Brassica campestris L. winter or spring varieties. By mulching root area of apple tree with aboveground part of these rape varieties in later autumn, the water contents in 0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm soil were enhanced or changed at following March and positively correlated with the mulching‐plant biomass. Similarly, under treatments of the V6‐I and V7‐I (V6‐I and V7‐I belong to mulching root area of apple tree with aboveground part of the variety V6 and V7) (the variety V6 and V7 mulching), and the V6‐II and V7‐II (V6‐II and V7‐II belong to mulching root area of apple tree with aboveground part of the V6 and V7 + 5% soil), the average water content in 0–150 cm soil was significantly increased by about 12%, 8%, 18%, and 15% at following spring, respectively; meanwhile, the treatment V6‐II and V7‐II induced significant increase in water contents in 0–25, 25–50, 50–75, 75–100, 100–125, and 125–150 cm soil profile; these treatments were conducted over 2 years; the available K, total N, and organic matter in 0–20 cm soil was significantly increased by 39.3%–151.8%, 10.0%–17.9%, and 22.7%–34.2%, the apple tree growth was promoted, and the fruit yield per plant was significantly enhanced by 16.9%–95.5%. In conclusion, the Brassica napus L. winter variety mulching, especially the mulching with the aboveground part of the Brassica napus L. winter variety + 5% soil, showed significant effect in improving soil moisture, soil fertility, and fruit yield in orchards in semi‐arid regions.

A causal inference and Bayesian optimisation framework for modelling multi-trait relationships-Proof-of-concept using Brassica napus seed yield under controlled conditions.

The improvement of crop yield is a major breeding target and there is a long history of research that has focussed on unravelling the mechanisms and processes that contribute to yield. Quantitative prediction of the interplay between morphological traits, and the effects of these trait-trait relationships on seed production remains, however, a challenge. Consequently, the extent to which crop varieties optimise their morphology for a given environment is largely unknown. This work presents a new combination of existing methodologies by framing crop breeding as an optimisation problem and evaluates the extent to which existing varieties exhibit optimal morphologies under the test conditions. In this proof-of-concept study using spring and winter oilseed rape plants grown under greenhouse conditions, we employ causal inference to model the hierarchically structured effects of 27 morphological yield traits on each other. We perform Bayesian optimisation of seed yield, to identify and quantify the morphologies of ideotype plants, which are expected to be higher yielding than the varieties in the studied panels. Under the tested growth conditions, we find that existing spring varieties occupy the optimal regions of trait-space, but that potentially high yielding strategies are unexplored in extant winter varieties. The same approach can be used to evaluate trait (morphology) space for any environment.

Evaluation of phosphate rock as the only source of phosphorus for the growth of tall and semi-dwarf durum wheat and rye plants using digital phenotyping.

Phosphorus nutrition is important for obtaining high yields of crop plants. However, wheat plants are known to be almost incapable of taking up phosphorus from insoluble phosphate sources, and reduced height genes are supposed to decrease this ability further. We performed a pot experiment using Triticum durum Desf. tall spring variety LD222, its near-isogenic semidwarf line carrying Rht17 (Reduced height 17) gene, and winter rye (Secale cereale L.) variety Chulpan. The individual plants were grown in quartz sand. The phosphorus was provided either as phosphate rock powder mixed with sand, or as monopotassium phosphate solution (normal nutrition control) or was not supplemented at all (no-phosphorus control). Other nutrients were provided in soluble form. During experiment the plants were assessed using the TraitFinder (Phenospex Ltd., Heerlen, Netherlands) digital phenotyping system for a standard set of parameters. Double scan with 90 degrees turns of pots around vertical axis vs. single scan were compared for accuracy of phenotyping. The phenotyping showed that at least 20 days of growth after seedling emergence were necessary to get stable differences between genotypes. After this initial period, phenotyping confirmed poor ability of wheat to grow on substrate with phosphate rock as the only source of phosphorus compared to rye; however, Rht17 did not cause an additional reduction in growth parameters other than plant height under this variant of substrate. The agreement between digital phenotyping and conventionally measured traits was at previously reported level for grasses (R2 = 0.85 and 0.88 for digital biomass and 3D leaf area vs. conventionally measured biomass and leaf area, single scan). Among vegetation indices, only the normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and the green leaf index (GLI) showed significant correlations with manually measured traits, including the percentage of dead leaves area. The double scan improved phenotyping accuracy, but not substantially.

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF OPTIMISING THE SOWING RATE OF SPRING AND WINTER Pisum sativum FORMS

The winter and spring varieties of peas (Pisum sativum) require careful study of the entire range of technological measures, including seeding rates, as the basis for optimal sowing density and the formation of phytocenose crops. This issue has not been resolved to date, not only in the context of agrobiological justification but also in everyday practice in Ukraine. This research was carried out in a field experiment in a three-way factorial experiment: factor “A” was the type of development - winter and spring; factor “B” was the variety - spring peas (Svit and Darunok Stepu) and winter peas (Moroz, Enduro and Baltrapp); and factor “C” was the seeding rate. According to the field studies, differences in the physiological and biochemical parameters of the P. sativum test culture characterised the photosynthetic activity of the plants, considering the type of development and variety. The winter varieties of P. sativum were characterised by a higher chlorophyll content (by 35–40%) compared to the spring varieties, which had an economic effect with an increase in the yield of dry biomass of the experimental crop and a decrease in seeding rates, with the formation and increase in grain yield by 14–18%. The intensity of chlorophyll in the process was not a determining factor in the accumulation of organic biomass. The extensive nature of the integration complex was noted (the amount of chlorophyll - the amount of biomass). At the optimal seeding rate, a certain specificity was observed in different types of P. sativum: for spring varieties, the sufficient rate was 0.9 million seeds/ha, and for winter varieties, it was 0.7 million seeds/ha. For varieties with a low productivity level (spring - Svit and winter - Moroz), the optimum sowing rate was around 0.7 million seeds/ha. The increase in the seeding rate was accompanied by a decrease in the content of various chlorophyll fractions from 10–12% to 20–26%.

Genetic polymorphism of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit loci in bread wheat varieties in the Pre-Ural steppe zone.

High-molecular-weight glutenins play an important role in providing high baking qualities of bread wheat grain. However, breeding bread wheat for this trait is very laborious and, therefore, the genotyping of variety samples according to the allelic composition of high-molecular-weight glutenin genes is of great interest. The aim of the study was to determine the composition of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits based on the identification of the allelic composition of the Glu-1 genes, as well as to identify the frequency of the Glu-1 alleles in bread wheat cultivars that are in breeding work under the conditions of the Pre-Ural steppe zone (PSZ). We analyzed 26 winter and 22 spring bread wheat varieties from the PSZ and 27 winter and 20 spring varieties from the VIR collection. Genotyping at the Glu-A1 locus showed that the Ax1 subunits are most common in winter varieties, while the predominance of the Ax2* subunits was typical of spring varieties and lines. In the Glu-B1 locus, the predominance of alleles associated with the production of the Bx7 and By9 subunits was revealed for both winter and spring varieties. In the case of the Glu-D1 gene, for all the wheat groups studied, the composition of the Dx5+Dy10 subunits was the most common: in 92.3 % of winter and 68.2 % of spring PSZ accessions and in 80 % of winter and 55 % of spring VIR accessions. The analysis of genotypes showed the presence of 13 different allelic combinations of the Glu-A1, Glu-B1, Glu-D1 genes in the PSZ varieties, and 19 combinations in the VIR varieties. The b b/al/с d allelic combination (Ax2* Вх7+Ву8/8*/9 Dx5+Dy10) turned out to be the most common for the PSZ spring varieties and lines, while for the PSZ winter accessions it was a с d (Ax1 Вх7+By9 Dx5+Dy10); the b с a and b с d genotypes (Ax2* Вх7+Ву9 Dx2+Dy12 and Ax2* Вх7+Ву9 Dx5+Dy10, respectively) occur with equal frequency among the VIR spring accessions; in the group of VIR winter varieties, the combination of the a b/ al d alleles (Ax1 Вх7+Ву8/8* Dx5+Dy10) prevails. The most preferred combination of alleles for baking qualities was found in the spring variety 'Ekaterina' and winter varieties 'Tarasovskaya 97', 'Volzhskaya S3', as well as in lines k-58164, L43510, L43709, L-67, L-83, which are recommended for further breeding programs to improve and preserve baking qualities in the conditions of the Pre-Ural steppe zone.

Creation and study of emmer (Triticum dicoccum) × triticale hybrids.

Triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) is of great interest as an insurance crop that can ensure the stability of the gross harvest of feed and food grains at a lower cost. In Western Siberia, only winter triticale varieties are cultivated, however, spring triticales are important for cultivation in regions not suitable for winter crops. To create spring varieties with high yields and good grain quality, it is necessary to study and enrich the gene pool, identify donors of economically valuable traits. One of the possible ways to solve this problem can be through the production of secondary hexaploid triticales with the involvement of the tetraploid wild-growing species of emmer wheat Triticum dicoccum (Schrank) Schuebl. The aim of this work was to create and study hybrids of emmer T. dicoccum (Schrank) Schuebl. with hexaploid triticale using genomic in situ hybridization for staining of meiotic chromosomes and analysis of plant productivity elements in F4-F8. DT4, DT5, DT6 plants and the prebreeding F6 forms obtained from them - DT 4/168, DT 5/176 and DT 6/186 - were selected according to the characteristics of the productivity and the nature of the grain in the F4 hybrid population. The offspring of hybrids DT4 and DT5 and prebreeding forms DT 4/168 and DT 5/176 had an increased grain nature (over 750 g/l), but low productivity. The hybrid DT6 and the breeding form DT 6/186 obtained from it had high grain productivity (785 ± 41 and 822 ± 74 g/m2, respectively), but, like the paternal form of triticale UK 30/33, had a reduced nature of the grain. In F8 DT 6/186 plants, 7 homologous pairs of rye chromosomes and from 27 to 30 wheat chromosomes were found in meiosis, which indicates the presence of a complete rye genome and two wheat ААВВ genomes. Rye chromosomes showed stable formation of bivalents in contrast to wheat chromosomes, which caused the presence of aneuploids in plant populations. Thus, hexaploid forms DT 4/168 and DT 5/176 with well-made smooth grain and high grain size were obtained, which can be used as a source of this trait for selection of food-grade triticale. DT 6/186 is a promising form for further breeding in order to obtain high-yielding forms of triticale.

Barley systematics and taxonomy foreseen by seed morphometric variation.

Since its Neolithic domestication in the Fertile Crescent, barley has spread to all continents and represents a major cereal in many modern agrarian systems. Current barley diversity includes thousands of varieties divided into four main categories corresponding to 2-row and 6-row subspecies and naked and hulled types, each of them with winter and spring varieties. This diversity is associated to different uses and allow cultivation in diverse environments. We used a large dataset of 58 varieties of French origin, (1) to assess the taxonomic signal in barley grain measurements comparing 2-row and 6-row subspecies, and naked and hulled types; (2) to test the impact of the sowing period and interannual variation on the grains size and shape; (3) to investigate the existence of morphological differences between winter and spring types; and finally (4) to contrast the relationship between the morphometric and genetic proximity. Size and shape of 1980 modern barley caryopses were quantified through elliptic Fourier Transforms and traditional size measurements. Our results indicate that barley grains record morphological diversity of the ear (89.3% classification accuracy between 2-row/6-row subspecies; 85.2% between hulled and naked type), sowing time of the grains (from 65.6% to 73.3% within barley groups), and environmental conditions during its cultivation and varietal diversity. This study opens perspectives for studying archaeological barley seeds and tracing the barley diversity and evolution since the Neolithic.

The effect of pre-sowing electron radiation on the development of barley seedlings and the activity of enzymes and phytohormones

In a laboratory experiment, the effect of pre-sowing low-energy (160 keV) electron radiation at doses of 1, 3, and 5 kGy at a dose rate of 500 Gy/pulse was studied. on sowing qualities, morphometric parameters of barley seedlings of the Vladimir spring variety, their susceptibility to fungal diseases against a natural infectious background, as well as on the activity of enzymes and the concentration of phytohormones in 7-day-old seedlings. The repetition in the experiment was 3-fold, non-irradiated seeds served as control. Irradiation of seeds at a dose of 3 kGy caused a statistically significant increase in comparison with the control of laboratory germination (LV) by 6 % and seed growth force (SPC) by 10 %, and at a dose of 1 kGy, an increase in root length by 24.6 % and had no significant effect on morphometric parameters at a dose of 5 kGy. Seed treatment did not affect the green and dry weight of the seedlings and the percentage of water content in them. Irradiation completely suppressed the development of Penicillium spp. at doses of 1, 3 and 5 kGy, Fusarium spp. - at doses of 3 and 5 kGy and significantly increased the prevalence of Bipolaris sorokiniana seedlings by 2.1 times and its prevalence by 1.8 times at a dose of 5 kGy. Electron irradiation of barley seeds had no effect on the activity of enzymes and phytohormones, except for a significant increase in 7-day-old seedlings of the content of IAA at a dose of 5 kGy by 1.5 times and IBA at a dose of 1 kGy by 2.7 times compared with the control.

Best Sowing Date for Wheat Summer Planting in Kunming

<i>[Background] </i>Wheat is the most important food crop, with the largest planting area in the world. However, in the production process, due to the species degradation and the occurrence of new diseases, the antigens of old varieties are lost, resulting in reduced yield and even no harvest. In order to ensure the stable yield and increase of wheat, the varieties need to be updated in time. By using different seasons and different places to carry out additional generation breeding of wheat, two or even three generations can be bred in a year. Accelerate wheat breeding process and accelerate the rate of variety renewal. <i>[Objective] </i>Kunming is an ideal place for wheat summer breeding in China due to its special climate. The optimal sowing time of wheat summer sowing in Kunming was studied to provide guidance for wheat planting of double seasons.<i> [Methods] </i>Local spring varieties were used as research materials, yield components of wheat were investigated and analyzed at four sowing dates. <i>[Results] </i>Agronomic traits data of summer sown wheat were lower than that of winter sown whea except nonbearing tillering numbert. The yield was the highest sowing on June 5. The reproductive coefficient, number of effective tillers, plant height, spike length, number of grains per spike, 100 ear grain weight and biomass decreased with the delay of sowing date. [Conclusion] Wheat summer sowing in Kunming should be no later than June 25 to obtain more breeding seeds.

Physiological and Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Differences in Genes of Antioxidative Defense Components and Cold-Related Proteins in Winter and Spring Wheat during Cold Acclimation

Recent findings suggest that cold acclimation can enhance cold resistance in wheat. Dongnongdongmai 1 (DM1) is a winter wheat variety that can overwinter at −30 °C; however, its cold acclimation mechanism is yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we elucidated the potential mechanisms of cold acclimation in DM1 and the China Spring (CS) variety, especially the role of the antioxidant system, using transcriptome and physiological analyses. Cold stress increased H2O2 and O2− production in both varieties; however, CS had higher contents of H2O2 and O2− than DM1. Moreover, cold significantly increased ROS-scavenging activities in DM1, especially at 30 days after exposure. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that differentially expressed peroxidase (POD) genes were enriched in antioxidant activity, with most POD genes being significantly upregulated in DM1 under cold acclimation. Additionally, cold acclimation increased the expression of cold acclimation protein (CAP), late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA), and cold-responsive genes in both varieties, with higher expression levels in DM1. Overall, the results showed that DM1 exhibited a higher cold tolerance than CS during cold acclimation by increasing the expression of POD genes, LEA, CAP, and cold-responsive proteins, improving the understanding of the mechanism of cold resistance in DM1.

Localization of the quantitative trait loci related to lodging resistance in spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The yield and grain quality of spring and winter wheat signif icantly depends on varieties' resistance to lodging, the genetic basis of this trait being quantitative and controlled by a large number of loci. Therefore, the study of the genetic architecture of the trait becomes necessary for the creation and improvement of modern wheat varieties. Here we present the results of localization of the genomic regions associated with resistance to lodging, plant height, and upper internode diameter in Russian bread wheat varieties. Phenotypic screening of 97 spring varieties and breeding lines was carried out in the f ield conditions of the West Siberian region during 2017-2019. It was found that 54 % of the varieties could be characterized as medium and highly resistant to lodging. At the same time, it was noted that the trait varied over the years. Twelve varieties showed a low level of resistance in all years of evaluation. Plant height-based grouping of the varieties showed that 19 samples belonged to semi-dwarfs (60-84 cm), and the rest were included in the group of standard-height plants (85-100 cm). Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was performed by means of genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 9285 SNP markers. For lodging resistance, plant height, and upper internode diameter, 26 signif icant associations (-log p > 3) were found in chromosomes 1B, 2A, 3A, 3D, 4A, 5A, 5B, 5D, 6A, and 7B. The results obtained suggest that the regions of 700-711 and 597-618 Mb in chromosomes 3A and 6A, respectively, may contain clusters of genes that affect lodging resistance and plant height. No chromosome regions colocalized with the QTLs as sociated with lodging resistance or upper internode diameter were found. The present GWAS results may be important for the development of approaches for creating lodging-resistant varieties through marker-assisted and genomic selection.